Digital telephones are generally known and find multiple applications today.
The Alcatel 4610 voice information system is also known. The product description "Alcatel 4610, Welcome your customers whenever they call", CA 4610 GB ABSI-04/93 describes the possibilities offered by this voice information system. The voice information system is directly connected to a private branch exchange. The private branch exchange provides the connection to a public communications network. For a specified number of telephones connected to the private branch exchange, the voice message system makes available a "mailbox" assigned to each of these telephones. In addition, a central mailbox is provided. In this instance, mailbox means that a memory or a memory area is assigned to the telephones connected to the private branch exchange, so that the telephone user has a kind of telephone answering system available. The user can store an announcement and store messages from callers whose calls the user cannot accept. An "automatic operator" performs the switching function. It transmits an announcement to the caller, who e.g. has dialed the central telephone number, informing the caller how he can further be connected to the other telephones of the private branch exchange, and which persons/divisions are assigned to these telephones. The "automatic operator" then makes the desired reconnection.